Semiconductor device manufacturing operations use chemical vapor deposition processes to deposit, for example, epitaxial silicon, poly-crystalline layers of silicon, and other layers of compounds containing silicon, such as silicon nitride. Dichlorosilane is a state-of-the-art silicon source chemical in such chemical vapor deposition processes. Storing dichlorosilane indoors to supply the needs of chemical vapor deposition apparatus for semiconductor processes is regarded to be a potential hazard because of the tendency of dichlorosilane to explode and burn when it is allowed to accumulate in the presence of oxygen.
Storing dichlorosilane outdoors and delivering it as a gas through appropriate tubing to a usage destination within the confines of a processing facility meets with difficulties in that at the lower temperatures of typical atmospheric temperature ranges insufficiently high gas pressures are generated to deliver the gas to its destination. Heating the fluid supply to a controlled temperature and thereby generating gas at a controlled vapor pressure overcomes the problem of insufficient gas pressure at lower temperatures. However, delivering the generated gas at such a controlled temperature from an external storage facility to the usage destination involves impractical and expensive safety and operating procedures. The requirements for insulation, the complexity of temperature controls, and the operating costs to provide adequate venting of an external storage facility tend to be excessive.